2007/8/21

Ohitsuwari, or also called Ohachiwari, held on the 3rd Sunday of October at Muro Shinmei-sha Shrine in Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture, is a Shinto ritual to pray for a rich harvest and household safety. It has been passed down since the late Edo period (1603-1868) and is designated as a Nishio City’s Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Ohitsuwari (the rice container breaking) is a very rough and spectacular Shinto ceremony. Right after the 15 men who are at an unlucky age, called yaku-otoko, are given ohitsu, which contains Sekihan (“red rice” made of glutinous rice and red beans), by a Shinto priest, they start struggling with each other to get the ohitsu pushing and shoving.

Then the men beat broken the cover of the ohitsu with their bare hands, and visitors also join and scramble to grab the red rice. It is said that if you eat this red rice, you can live in good health through the year. The scene of the yaku-otoko and visitors struggling for red rice in confusion is worth seeing.